Talheim Death Pit

The Talheim Death Pit is an archaeological site in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where excavations uncovered remains of more than thirty individuals from the Stone Age. The skeletons lay in a trench measuring around 25 feet, including children, adult men and women, many with signs of violent trauma to the skull.

Archaeologists discovered the site in 1983 during construction work near the town of Talheim. The bones date back to around 5000 BC and belong to the earliest evidence of large-scale violence in Europe.

The remains belong to members of the Linear Pottery Culture, known for creating settlements and implementing early farming techniques across Central Europe.

The site itself is not open to the public, but information about the discovery and research findings can be found in regional museums. Visitors interested in early settlement and archaeological research can learn more about the remains there.

Marks on the skulls suggest blows from weapons such as axes made of stone. The pattern of injuries indicates that victims were attacked from behind, possibly while trying to escape.